Chapter 26: The Poisoned Cup
Caleb Silver POV
The cup flew from Lily’s hand, spilling dark liquid across the feast table as I knocked it away. The sweet smell of berries couldn’t hide the sour scent underneath - wolfsbane mixed with something else, something that made my stomach turn.
"What are you doing?" Lily asked, shocked.
"Don’t drink anything else," I said quickly, grabbing her wrist to check her pulse. "That was poisoned."
Around us, the pack feast continued. Wolves laughed and talked, celebrating another good hunt. No one noticed our quiet scene at the corner table. That worried me more than the drug itself.
"Poisoned?" Lily’s eyes went wide. "Are you sure?"
I picked up the dropped cup, sniffing carefully. The smell hit me again - wolfsbane for weakness, nightshade for sleep, and something else I couldn’t name. "Definitely. This would have put you in a coma within minutes."
"But who would..." Lily’s words trailed off as she looked around the room. Any of the fifty dogs here could have poisoned her drink. The thought made her face pale.
"We need to figure this out," I said, my mind already working through options. "Quietly. If the poisoner knows we found their plan, they might try something more direct."
Lily nodded, trust in her eyes that made my heart skip. She believed I could protect her, solve this problem. I couldn’t let her down.
"The cup came from the main serving table," she said. "I remember the server handing it to me specifically."